KYIV: On the fifth day of Russia’s full-scale invasion , Ukraine applied to join the European Union. It became a candidate country four months later, even as Moscow continued its relentless assault. Against the odds, Kyiv met all the conditions within two years to open accession talks with the EU, which began in June this year.
However, the journey has not been easy for the country. Challenges remain as the nation seeks to stamp out corruption, which many Ukrainians see as their second most important fight, fueled by their desire and ambition to join the EU. MAIDAN REVOLUTION 2014 Ukraine has battled corruption since its independence in 1991.
Bribery was rampant, and oligarchs controlled much of the country’s key industries as Moscow maintained a firm grip on Kyiv. A turning point came in 2013 when fed up citizens gathered on Maidan Nezalezhnost, the capital’s Independence Square, in what is known today as the Revolution of Dignity. Protestors demanded closer ties to the EU, and for then-president Viktor Yanukovych, known for his corruption and connections to Moscow, to step down.
The revolution ended in tragedy, with more than 100 protesters killed. But it led to the ouster of Yanukovych in February the following year, and gave Ukrainians hope that change was possible. In the decade since, Ukraine has waged a war against corruption, with a proliferation of anti-corruption bodies, wide-ranging reforms and media investigations.
Denys Bihus, founder of investigative media.